Pronghorn Antelope Released
Jakes Valley, NV - Approximately 50 head of pronghorn antelope were released on the public lands in Jakes Valley, December 7, 2001. The Nevada Division of Wildlife (NDOW) obtained the animals from Utah.






Earlier in the year, NDOW constructed four guzzlers in the vicinity. Ample forage was already present. The project was completed as part of the Jakes Valley Habitat Management Plan in cooperation with the Ely Field Office, BLM.

Water For Elk Doubled
Lake Valley, NV - Two additional wildlife guzzlers were added to the Muleshoe Burn, south of Mount Grafton in Lincoln County on June 30, 2001. Fifteen members of the White Pine Sportsmen Club and a bobcat backhoe provided by O'Flaherty Plumbing and Heating of Ely, Nevada joined BLM staff in completing the project. Their efforts will double the water available for wildlife in the area.

Both mule deer and elk have been photographed drinking from the 1999 guzzlers. (See the article below)

Desert Tortoise Habitat
Lincoln County, NV - Within the Ely District, a total of 212,500 acres of critical habitat have been designated and are managed primarily for recovery of the desert tortoise.  The critical habitat is contained within three Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC):  Kane Springs, Mormon Mesa and Beaver Dam Slope. 

Willows Planted by Volunteers
Illipah Reservoir, Nevada - On May 27, 2000 nearly 40 volunteers planted approximately 2,000 willow cuttings along a half mile of stream to improve stream conditions within the Illipah Creek Riparian Pasture Fence. These generous Nevada folks came from Carson City, Spring Creek, Carlin, Eureka, Ruth, Ely and Baker. In their spare time, they also picked up trash around the Illipah Reservoir Recreation Site.

Mark Barber, Wildlife Biologist expressed, "A big THANK YOU to all that helped."

Sage Grouse Booming
Newark Valley, NV - Wildlife Biologist Mike Perkins reported a record high count of 76 males and 10+ female sage grouse at a lek (a site where the grouse gather for courtship) on April 21, 2000.  Mike left Ely at 4:00 a.m.

"I start seeing strutting birds in the headlights! You can hear what's happening. It's awesome!"

Mike previously visited this site on March 13 and counted 36 males. "Things look good for sage grouse this year."

Water For Elk Through Cooperation
Lake Valley, NV - Three wildlife guzzlers were installed on the weekend of June 19 - 20, 1999, by over 25 volunteers from throughout the state of Nevada.

"These projects are designed primarily for elk," explained Paul Podborny, wildlife biologist at the Ely Field Office, Bureau of Land Management.

Two units were located within a 17,000 acre area burned by the 1996 Mule Fire. Desirable vegetation has grown within the burn, however, water was only available seasonally. The third wildlife drinker was built in the Dale Chaining, located on the west side of Spring Valley. This area has been used by elk for many years, but water was a limiting factor. With food, cover and water, the elk population will expand in these areas without competing with livestock.

These projects were made possible through a cooperative effort involving individuals, sportsmen clubs, business and state and federal agencies. Labor was contributed by Nevada Bighorns Unlimited, Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn, Mule Deer Foundation and White Pine Sportsmen Club. Joe Cumming, owner of BOSS TANKS in Elko, designed the storage tanks which include a self-contained, low maintenance drinker. He also assisted in installation. Plastic aprons were purchased by  Wildlife and Habitat Improvement of Nevada.

Participants from sponsoring agencies included: Terry Crawforth, Administrator of the Nevada Division of Wildlife; Bill Bradley, Chairman of the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners; and Gene Kolkman, Ely Field Manager, Bureau of Land Management.

Where are these projects located? The Dale Chaining guzzler is located to the west of Highway 93, approximately a one hour drive south of Ely. The Mule Fire guzzlers are also located west of Highway 93, approximately one and a half hours south of Ely.

What is a guzzzler?
If you are not familiar with a guzzler and would like more information... click here.

Wildlife Water Improved Through Cooperation
Tule Desert, NV - Three wildlife drinkers were installed in the fall of 1997 along a pipeline that brings water from the Clover Mountains to the Tule Desert, approximately 40 miles south east of Caliente and 25 miles north of Mesquite, Nevada.

"The benefiting wildlife species would be gambels quail, mule deer, coyotes, gray fox, kit fox, rabbits and various other small game and birds," explained Kyle Teel, wildlife biologist at the Caliente Field Station, Bureau of Land Management.

The drinkers were installed in locations that are more favorable to wildlife than existing livestock water troughs. Each drinker is a self contained unit, consisting of a small trough and float box. The design provides drinks to thirsty wild animals while conserving precious water.

This addition to the Sam's Camp Pipeline was made possible through a cooperative effort between the National Rifle Association (NRA), local livestock operators and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The NRA provided money for construction materials through their Environmental Conservation and Hunting Outreach (ECHO) Program. Owners of the Sam's Camp Pipeline allowed the BLM to attach the wildlife drinkers to the pipeline.

ECHO projects advance conservation of our wildlife resources, encourage hunter safety and ethics, and defend and promote regulated hunting as a shooting sport and responsible use of our wildlife resources. This program promotes mutually beneficial projects between the NRA, various Federal and State Agencies, and private organizations.